Toyota

Early in the twentieth century, Sakichi Toyoda invented a series of industrial looms. In 1933, he used some of the earnings to establish an automotive division of his automatic-loom company, which produced its first car in 1935. In 1937, the renamed Toyota Motor Company became an independent operation. In the 1950s, Toyota entered other world markets. Toyota eventually grew to become the world’s second-largest car maker, with facilities in twenty-seven countries. To give a sense of its scale, Toyota has sold over 30 million compact Corollas worldwide since it was introduced in 1966. Between 1967 and 1970, Toyota produced about 350 copies of the sophisticated 2000GT sports car, a statement of the company’s intention to build cars to compete with the world’s best. In 1970, the Toyota Celica four-cylinder sports car appeared, and the six-cylinder Celica, later called the Supra, was introduced in 1978. The two cars became completely separate models in 1986, when the Celica switched to front-wheel drive. The Supra remained in production until 2002. From 1984 to 2005, Toyota produced a small mid-engine sports car, the MR2 (renamed MR-S in Japan in 1999), which offered an affordable taste of mid-engine performance. At the luxury end of Toyota’s sports-car spectrum is the Soarer, which was introduced in 1981. The current model is a V8-powered luxury roadster with a convertible hard top, sold in all markets as the Lexus SC 430.

1974 Toyota Celica GT

Before the Celica’s introduction, Toyota was perceived as a builder of dull-but-worthy cars. The Celica’s sporty appeal brought a new market and more appealing image to the Japanese automaker. Some called it a copy of the Mustang, but it was simply one of the many early 1970s compact coupes that came to America during the gas crunch. With its long-hood/short deck proportions, space for four, and sporty styling (in the GT model), the Celica barged into America to compete with the likes of the Opel, Mazda RX-2, and Datsun 510. You could bump a standard Celica ST to a GT model for a mere $220. What you got was revised suspension rates that dropped the stance a quarter inch. The rest of the GT package is pure cosmetics: five-inch wheels, more open wheel arches, and GT-specific badging; all models bore the classic “smile” bumpers. Sure, economy came first and power output is modest, but these Japanese gems are getting harder and harder to find these days.

1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex

Any of the things the Sprinter Trueno is famous for could have made it an immortal JDM hero alone. Added up, it’s clear that the humble Corolla-based coupe that slays giants on the track and in the mountain passes is as legendary as they come. Widely known by the chassis code AE86 (from which the Japanese nickname Haichi-Roku, or “86,” comes from), it initially competed in various forms of production car racing, but then a video starring the Sprinter and a certain racer named Keiichi Tsuchiya changed everything. That video was “Pluspy,” and Tsuchiya is better known by the name Dorikin (“Drift King”)—and that video is generally considered the birth of drifting as we know it today. The Sprinter’s immediate popularity was only magnified when it was featured as the star vehicle in the wildly successful Initial D manga and anime series. The Sprinter Trueno deserves all this recognition and fame because it’s such a great package—extremely lightweight (just over a ton), the rear-wheel drive coupe has a strong and highly-tunable 4A-GE engine. The 1.6-liter motor makes 128 horsepower stock, using a twin-cam, 16-valve design—one of the first mass-produced motors in the work to use this advanced design. Add in a supremely balanced chassis, easy to modify for racing, drifting, or for show, and it’s no wonder that decades after it went out of production the Trueno is still a major presence in the drifting and touge scenes.

1989 Toyota MR2 SC

The first generation MR2 was the last thing the market expected from practical and economical Toyota at the time, but was received well. Since then, the car has built a following that has endured over the years. MR2 stands for “Mid-engined Runabout 2 Seater,” but in the U.S. it is known as “mid-engine rear-wheel-drive two-seater”. The well-balanced and snappy performance took a step into downright exciting with the introduction of the SC, which stands for “super-charged.” The belt driven Roots-type supercharger is actuated by an electromagnetic clutch depending on power demands, increasing fuel economy. The 145 horsepower on board in the 2,500-pound MR2 will bring a smile to any enthusiast’s face. The Mister Two, as it is sometimes affectionately referred to, responds well to upgrades and can easily become a go to car for lobby racing.

1992 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST185

Toyota produced 5,000 GT-Four RC ST185’s to meet homologation requirements for Group A Rally competition. The 1992 racing version was named the “Carlos Sainz Edition” in honor of the Spanish driver’s racing achievements, including becoming Toyota’s first world rally champion in 1990. While this ST185 is not the racing version, it does deliver 10 more turbo-charged horsepower than the normal GT-Four for a total of 232 horsepower, and with its distinctive hood and front bumper the GT-Four RC is a much sought-after model.

1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205

The glories of racing homologation gave rise to the Celica GT-Four ST205. With 2,500 units produced, Toyota Team Europe was able to compete in Group A Rally. Driving an ST205 in 1995, driver Juha Kankkunen was in contention for the driver’s title until Toyota was caught using illegal turbo restrictors and banned from the WRC for a year. The ST205’s 3S-GTE motor produced the most power (well over 200 horsepower) of any Celica to date. Because it was only sold in Japan, Australia, and European markets, the GT-FOUR is only available in right-hand drive. In street dress or completely rallied out, the ST205 is a hoot to drive.

1995 Toyota MR2 GT

When Toyota gave the much-loved MR2 a facelift in 1991 they took the mid-engine rear-wheel-drive coupe to new levels. The 1995 MR2 featured more power in the form of a two-liter four-cylinder and a turbo model — as chosen for use in Forza Motorsport 5. They also made it slightly bigger, much rounder and replaced the pocket rocket image with what many have said is reminiscent of the Ferrari 348 or F355. Dubbed the “poor man’s Ferrari,” in pure performance numbers the SW20 wasn’t a far cry from the real thing. When you combine the reliability of Toyota, handling capabilities that let a driver push their driving skills to the limit, and acceleration equaling that of cars double or triple its price, it’s no wonder the MR2 has a loyal following.

1998 Toyota Supra RZ

The RZ was effectively the king of Japanese sports cars during its day. The legendary 2JZ engine has found its place in movies, circuit, and drift racing. This was the last year of the Supra for the U.S. market; rumors of its return have yet to be fulfilled. It is a car whose beauty, history and performance all deserve a place in Toyota history.

1999 Toyota #3 Toyota Motorsports GT-ONE TS020

In an era where GT racers were loosely based on production models and loopholes allowed for even further optimizations, the #3 GT-ONE represents the most success Toyota achieved building cars to race at Le Mans until its more recent return to building prototypes. The #3 was a lone survivor of three cars that competed in 1999 and, after nearly gaining the lead at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it suffered a puncture during the final hour of the race and settled for second. Built by Toyota Team Europe and Dallara, the GT-ONE is nothing close to a production car. It is comprised of carbon fiber and a twin-turbo 3.6 liter V8. Even the mandatory suitcase space rule was exploited by Toyota—TTE convinced the FIA that the gas tank when empty met the requirement. Performance was incredible, matching similar cars of the era such as the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR and Porsche 911 GT1. In a low downforce configuration, speeds of more than 230 mph are possible.

2013 Toyota GT86

The long-awaited rear-wheel-drive sports car collaboration between Toyota and Subaru is as rewarding to drive as everyone hoped. The 200 horsepower boxer engine puts plenty of power to the rear wheels. The GT86 has a little more built-in driftability than its Subie cousin. Weight transfer to the rear end in the GT86 is marginally faster giving it a heavier tendency to wag its tail than the slightly more civil BRZ. This is splitting hairs, but the other differences between the two are purely cosmetic and come down to personal preference. The biggest difference you will see and feel in Forza Motorsport 5 is the GT86 is right-hand drive. Get both versions on track at the same time and see if you can call out the differences as they tear up the track, hitting their top speed of 140 MPH. Among entry-level sports cars the GT86 – and its brethren—deliver a punchy, attractive ride for not a lot of money. More importantly, they mark the return of a rear-wheel-drive car to their respective manufacturer’s line-ups.

Buy Now!

Forza Motorsport 7 immerses players in the exhilarating thrill of competitive racing. From mastering the new motorsport-inspired campaign to collecting a wide range of cars to experiencing the excitement of driving at the limit, this is Forza reimagined.